What is the ruling on one who intends the adhan in order to obtain material reward?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on one who calls the adhan solely to take a wage?
The Shaykh : As for one who calls the adhan to take a wage, first: we must know that what the government gives as rewards to imams and mu'adhdhins is not a wage, but rather a grant from the public treasury to one who has undertaken an interest of the Muslims, such as teachers, imams, mu'adhdhins, judges, and rulers, and the like.
So this is not from the category of wages such that we would say: a wage for acts of devotion is not permissible; rather, it is from the category of grants from the public treasury to one who has undertaken this position.
But the consideration remains regarding what you asked: is it permissible for the mu'adhdhin or the imam to say: I call the adhan for the sake of the salary, or I am an imam for the people for the sake of the salary?
The answer: We say: do not intend this intention, for this intention nullifies your work, and you will have no reward from the adhan, no reward from the imamate, no reward from judging, and no reward from teaching. Intend that you are teaching, and that you are accepting what comes from the government of this salary to help you with the affairs of your life.
If you do that, then the salary will not be lost to you and the good intention will remain for you. But Satan may dominate the son of Adam and say: I call the adhan for the sake of this grant, I teach for the sake of this grant. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding this: "Whoever performs an act of worship for the sake of wealth, he has no share in the Hereafter". Rather, he has no share in the Hereafter, and he spoke the truth, because he received his wage in this world. The important thing is that we should call people to correct their intention.
The Shaykh : As for one who calls the adhan to take a wage, first: we must know that what the government gives as rewards to imams and mu'adhdhins is not a wage, but rather a grant from the public treasury to one who has undertaken an interest of the Muslims, such as teachers, imams, mu'adhdhins, judges, and rulers, and the like.
So this is not from the category of wages such that we would say: a wage for acts of devotion is not permissible; rather, it is from the category of grants from the public treasury to one who has undertaken this position.
But the consideration remains regarding what you asked: is it permissible for the mu'adhdhin or the imam to say: I call the adhan for the sake of the salary, or I am an imam for the people for the sake of the salary?
The answer: We say: do not intend this intention, for this intention nullifies your work, and you will have no reward from the adhan, no reward from the imamate, no reward from judging, and no reward from teaching. Intend that you are teaching, and that you are accepting what comes from the government of this salary to help you with the affairs of your life.
If you do that, then the salary will not be lost to you and the good intention will remain for you. But Satan may dominate the son of Adam and say: I call the adhan for the sake of this grant, I teach for the sake of this grant. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding this: "Whoever performs an act of worship for the sake of wealth, he has no share in the Hereafter". Rather, he has no share in the Hereafter, and he spoke the truth, because he received his wage in this world. The important thing is that we should call people to correct their intention.